Allen grew up the daughter of a sharecropper in Greenville, AL, in the 1960s and 1970s. Her story, however, begins with her maternal grandfather and his strong, persevering mother, Moa. Instead of moving chronologically, Allen leaps among family narratives effortlessly, making the reader laugh and cry with each new adventure. She shows us the fear Moa felt as a young slave who lost her family and the pain her father endured when he lost his mother at a young age. Each tale in her family history leaves the reader eager to learn how the Allen clan will survive the coming hardships and celebrate more triumphs. It is easy to get lost in Allen's childhood world, filled with engaging characters and told in informal but poetic language. It often feels as though she is sitting across the table from the reader, sharing a cup of tea along with these family stories. VERDICT Recommended for lovers of memoirs and autobiographies and for anyone who enjoys narratives of personal triumph.—Sonnet Erin Brown, Univ. of New Orleans Lib.

Cleland, decorated Vietnam War veteran and former U.S. senator and Georgia secretary of state, has crafted an intensely honest and personal autobiography. His third book (after Going for the Max: 12 Principles for Living Life to the Fullest and Strong at the Broken Places) is a pithy account of his first taste of politics in college, devastating injuries in Vietnam, treatment in military hospitals, political successes and failures, and ongoing struggle with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression. His candor in discussing his injuries, depression, and political issues—such as voting in favor of the Iraq War Resolution, which he called "the worst vote" he ever cast—makes this a powerful and uplifting read. He poignantly discusses his difficulties with artificial legs and his work with injured soldiers returning from Afghanistan and Iraq. Cleland also offers no-holds-barred impressions of various political characters. VERDICT In addition to appealing to readers interested in Georgia or military or political history, this will be inspirational for anyone struggling with injury, depression, or PTSD. Highly recommended. [See Prepub Alert, LJ 6/15/09.]—Lisa A. Ennis, Univ. of Alabama at Birmingham Lib.

Jacob (curator of manuscripts, Schlesinger Library on the History of Women in America, Radcliffe Inst., Harvard; Testament to Union) builds on her expertise on 19th-century Washington, DC, with this annotated biography of premier professional petitioner of Congress Sam Ward (1814–84). After the Civil War, an overburdened Congress was especially susceptible to hired advocates, and Ward was a master. Jacob enthralls readers with anecdotes of Ward beguiling a skeptical press and demonstrating persuasiveness to members of Congress through such means as sumptuous feasts and elaborate gifts. She uses archival sources, including hitherto unpublished stories and images from Ward's descendants, rounding out her story with secondary sources on the social, political, and even culinary contexts for Washington's upper crust. This life of the wealthy and well-connected poet, linguist, go-between, devotee of food and fashion, and all-around honest broker serves as a window into a culture some of whose practices arguably persist, with the word lobbyist now a part of our language. VERDICT This is a crisply written study, making excellent use of new sources and providing historical perspective through sprightly stories enlarging our understanding of the phenomenon of the lobbyist. Sure to please both serious researchers and general readers.—Frederick J. Augustyn Jr., Library of Congress

Molly Ivins had a voice to be reckoned with at a time when female reporters were relegated to the "women's pages." Throwing off the mantle of convention and embracing the quirky rebelliousness of her home state of Texas in the 1960s, she forged a career as an influential political columnist and social activist. Minutaglio (journalism, Univ. of Texas; First Son: George W. Bush and the Bush Family Dynasty) and Smith, who was a researcher for Ivins for eight years, provide a detailed account of Ivins's tumultuous personal life and successful journalism career. They show how she rebelled against her parents' conservative views and country-club lifestyle to become a lifelong champion of the First Amendment and liberal politics. The authors have gleaned insight from interviewing her family, friends, and colleagues and combing through her personal papers; unfortunately, their use of superfluous details and slang and off-color words bogs down the narrative. VERDICT Fans of Ivins's work and readers interested in feminist history, contemporary politics, and media studies will like this first full-length biography of Ivins.—Donna Marie Smith, Palm Beach Cty. Lib., FL

The word doubleness appears frequently in this exceptional book about the great 19th-century historian Thomas Babington Macaulay. Macaulay, argues Sullivan (history, Univ. of Notre Dame), lived a life of duplicity on many issues, starting with his feigned Christianity. This groundbreaking study focuses on Macaulay's "sensibility": How did he conceive of himself and the world in which he worked and lived? Macaulay's strength was his command of language; his weakness, a profound lack of empathy for others' situations coupled with a refusal to consider anything that might contradict his preconceived opinions. In India, he rewrote the nation's law code but never bothered learning Indian languages or studying its cultures; in his writings, he repeatedly urged genocide. Sullivan's portrait of the historian-statesman is unimpeachable, based on a deep reading of Macaulay's voluminous correspondence, journals, speeches, essays, and books. The man who emerges from this detailed portrait is loathsome but also sad. That he was popular in his own age says worlds about emerging values in mid-19th-century England. VERDICT Enthusiastically recommended; this exceptionally well-written work will please all serious lovers of history, not just academics.—David Keymer, Modesto, CA

Zines are an idiosyncratic and personally distributed form of creative participatory media, engaging with topics often ignored by mainstream media. In the early 1990s, created mainly by girls and women, they began to proliferate. Piepmeier (director, women's & gender studies & English, Charleston Coll.) calls them "grrl zines." Using textual analysis, art scholarship, interviews, and participation in the subculture that creates zines, Piepmeier examines how zines not only provide voices for individual women but also contribute to the theoretical work of third wave feminism. She traces their genesis to 19th-century women's club scrapbooks and second wave feminism's mimeographed publications, then contextualizes them in feminist history while examining how they are relevant to a new generation. Using images to illustrate her close reading of five zines, she notes that the material form of the zine is an important aspect of its message. VERDICT Presented in densely written academic prose that makes for slow reading, this interdisciplinary study will be appreciated by scholars from a wide range of disciplines and may also be of interest to the producers and collectors of grrl zines. [See also our quarterly column of zine reviews in LJ's newest enewsletter, BookSmack!—Ed.]—Judy Solberg, Seattle Univ. Lib.

A corporate upstart just over a decade old, Google has wormed its way into our lives, our vocabulary, and even the hallowed halls of academe, with Internet dominance and multibillion-dollar advertising revenues that make it one of the largest media entities of all time. New Yorker media critic Auletta (Three Blind Mice: How the TV Networks Lost Their Way), who spent several years researching Google and interviewing hundreds of company and industry players, delivers the real scoop on how this Internet giant fits into the larger media landscape. His fascinating examination illuminates Google's world from just about every conceivable angle: competitive, legal, regulatory, cultural, and ethical. He wraps up with an assessment of where the behemoth might be headed but provides enough insight to allow readers to draw their own conclusions about Google and whether its emergence really does spell the end of the world as we know it. VERDICT While the Google phenomenon has spawned dozens of books, Auletta's years of research and firsthand access to insiders, critics, competitors, and commentators give readers a well-rounded perspective on the company and how it fits into the wider milieu.[See Prepub Alert, LJ 7/09.]—Carol J. Elsen, Univ. of Wisconsin Lib., Whitewater

In this provocative work, Bartlett (Imposter: How George W. Bush Bankrupted America and Betrayed the Reagan Legacy), former domestic policy adviser to President Reagan, describes his role in the formulation of supply-side economics, which espoused tax cuts as the way to restart the troubled American economy. With the current economy echoing that of the 1980s, he might be expected to call for more tax cuts. Instead, he appeals for reconsideration of the long-unfashionable theories of British economist John Maynard Keynes, who believed that governments should temporarily spend their way out of economic deflation, even if it meant rising budget deficits in the shorter term. Bartlett endorses the adoption of the recent economic stimulus package. But he remains worried about mounting public and private debt and, to help the government raise revenue, proposes a value-added tax (VAT) like that in Europe. VERDICT Bartlett could have ignited an ideological fight, but to his credit—and regardless of one's response to his conclusions—one can only applaud his persuasive and respectful manner. Though the book could have benefited from a general glossary, it is a significant work for any serious student of economics and perhaps the best general reference for anyone wanting a sober retrospective on the Keynesian phenomenon.—Richard Drezen, Brooklyn, NY

Bronfman and Solomon (founder and president, respectively, Andrea and Charles Bronfman Philanthropies) set out to create an approach to philanthropy for everyone. They do not recommend which organizations to donate to but instead present strategies to help philanthropists pinpoint what types of organizations are most meaningful to them, determine what level of involvement they want, and help them plan their giving better. The authors begin by differentiating philanthropy, which they see as a new way of giving, from charity, which they see as the old way of giving. They then present three sections, "The Donor," "The Partners," and "The Gift," providing relevant examples on the topic, mostly from their own experiences. The fourth part of the book is an extensive list of resources on nonprofits that includes descriptions of organizations and their web sites. VERDICT The authors' straightforward explanations, particularly of types of gifts, help make their complicated topic simpler to understand. The book will provide some food for thought for anyone considering making charitable donations.—Elizabeth Nelson, UOP Lib., Des Plaines, IL

Downes (Ctr. for Internet & Society, Stanford Univ. Law Sch.; Unleashing the Killer App) is a gifted observer of the laws of digital disruption, a phenomenon in which the technological advances and new digital modes of commerce and communication outpace the ability of social, economic, and legal frameworks to keep pace. With a lens on businesses and legal aspects of technologies, Downes takes the reader chapter by chapter through important issues regarding personal information and human rights. We see how new crimes are possible with the ever-increasing data produced by users of digital content. The laws governing new commerce and new digital identity would seem inadequate to the current reality of digital environments. Downes asserts that the market will balance these unequal paradigms and that new laws should not be foisted upon misunderstood problems. The author includes a concise and easy-to-follow survey of patents, copyrights, and trademarks and the requirements that these legal codes place on the digital consumer. VERDICT For business collections especially.—Jim Hahn, Univ. of Illinois Lib., Urbana

McCommons (journalism & nature writing, Northern Michigan Univ.) sets out to rectify American ignorance of passenger trains by describing his rail travels around the United States in 2008. He writes of the people he meets, the scenery, the long decline in American rail travel, and its emerging renaissance, interweaving discussions he has had with dozens of the leading minds on American passenger rail. McCommons explains that Amtrak has been starved for funding since its 1971 inception but argues that a brighter future is coming with increased funding from the Obama administration, states working on regional plans, a new spirit of cooperation from the freight railroads, and the 2008 four-dollars-a-gallon gasoline price, which refocused the public's attention on rail travel. Still, he's objective, and though repetitious, his narratives get the mood of train travel right. He's at his best when deftly connecting the lack of a salad in a dining car with bigger issues like Amtrak's funding. VERDICT Essential reading for rail fans, policymakers, and anyone curious about the future of transportation, who should also seek both John Stilgoe's Train Time: Railroads and the Imminent Reshaping of the United States Landscape and the History Channel's eight-part DVD Extreme Trains. [See Editors' Fall Picks,LJ 9/1/09.]—Lawrence Maxted, Gannon Univ. Lib., Erie, PA

Tarr-Whelan argues that women can provide real leadership and change in business, social, and political organizations. To do so, however, she states that women must constitute at least 30 percent of any organization's decision-making hierarchy (she refers to this as the "30% Solution"). Tarr-Whelan, whose varied résumé includes stints in nursing and leadership consulting and as ambassador to the UN Commission on the Status of Women, describes how women in leadership positions can assert themselves, influence decision making, and help advance the careers of other women. This emphasis on truly changing organizational and societal norms (from donating money to charitable causes that share your goals to actively mentoring and hiring other women) is, in the end, what truly sets this title apart from other recent "women in business" titles. Each chapter also includes "takeaway" and "this week I will…" sidebars summarizing its content and providing action suggestions. VERDICT Although some readers may be unnerved by the somewhat militant tone of Tarr-Whelan's demands that women take on leadership roles and help other women into them, most will welcome her concrete suggestions for improving organizational decision making.—Sarah Statz Cords, The Reader's Advisor Online

Davis (emeritus, Emporia State Univ.), Patrick F. Drinan (political science, Univ. of San Diego), and Tricia Bertram Gallant (academic integrity coordinator, Univ. of California, San Diego) combine their years of interest in and experience with issues of academic integrity to provide an overview of the problem of academic dishonesty at all levels of education (from grade school through university) primarily in the United States, but with comparisons to some other countries. While there have been more in-depth, academic studies published recently (for example, Eric M. Anderman and Tamera B. Murdock's Psychology of Academic Cheating), and UNESCO has studied corruption in schools across the world, this is the first attempt to synthesize all levels and several nations in a concise, readable format accessible to the general reader. The authors explore the root causes of cheating, how cheating robs academic credentials of their value (owing to worry over whether a diploma holder actually did the work for the diploma), and what can be done to reduce academic dishonesty at all levels. VERDICT The authors cite plenty of real-world examples and suggest usable tactics and strategies to cope with the problem, thus making the book useful for educators as well as lay readers interested in the issue. A great overview of a significant subject, accessibly accomplished.—Mark Bay, Univ. of the Cumberlands Lib., Williamsburg, KY

Farley worked in several different positions for two different standardized testing companies and details his rise from lowly grad student toiling away for low wages and no benefits in his first scoring job to being a highly paid independent consultant to the testing industry, all in a casual, humorous style, poking fun at himself as well as the process. In particular, he focuses on test scorers, hired because the tests' open-ended questions cannot be scored by computer. The bulk of the book is a disturbing glimpse into an industry that has a huge impact on the lives of K-12 students across the United States. However, Farley's assertion that he is the "sworn enemy" of standardized testing smacks of the righteousness of the recently converted (he was acting as a consultant in the industry as recently as 2007). VERDICT Of interest to those looking to fuel their opposition to the No Child Left Behind act, which relies upon standardized test scores as its measure of success for schools to gain federal funds, and to anyone wanting a detailed account of this country's standardized test scoring process.—Sara Holder, McGill Univ. Lib., Montreal

Controversial educational theorist Hirsch (Cultural Literacy: What Every American Needs To Know) returns, here arguing that a single radical reform—the return to a nationally standardized K-6 curriculum—will fix what ails the modern educational system. He notes that decades of permissive educational strategies have left Americans without a foundation of common knowledge to build upon. At home, test scores have steadily declined, and abroad we rank in the bottom quartile of OECD (Organization for Economic Co-Operation and Development) countries. Since high academic achievement is demonstrably related to reading comprehension and thus to a functional body of general knowledge, argues Hirsch, conveying that general knowledge should be a precursor to all other learning. He also envisions such a curriculum as a great equalizer for the multitudes of people who make up the United States. VERDICT Hirsch's tone is conversational but authoritative, and he deftly elucidates the issues at hand in an engaging manner for a general audience. His book will give engaged educators and concerned parents—whether or not they agree with him—a lot to discuss.—Robert Perret, Univ. of Idaho Lib., Moscow

Perez (education, Claremont Graduate Univ.) makes a strong case for immigration reform, specifically reform through which undocumented immigrants who pursue higher education would be granted legal status. To this end, he presents and analyzes the experiences of 20 undocumented or formerly undocumented students, with sections on students at the high school, community college, college, and graduate levels. The author's analysis can be somewhat repetitive, but the work's strength lies in its in-depth portrayal of undocumented students' experiences, in their own words. The introduction includes notes, but a general bibliography for the issues covered would have been useful. VERDICT In-depth description and numerous quotes from Perez's interviewees make this book a useful resource for students and scholars of immigration and education, as well as for general readers looking for first-person stories of immigration.—Madeline Mundt, Univ. of Nevada Lib., Reno

Baker has incorporated all the available research on Thanksgiving and enriched it with his unparalleled access to original sources as the former director of research at Plimoth Plantation. Most appealing about this book is that it has been produced by an expert on the topic, and one who is also a Plymouth, MA, native. He shows us how Thanksgiving is seen through each generation's reality, having morphed from a holiday for pilgrim hats and turkeys to a cause for Native American protests to a holy day to several ancient holidays combined and a full-scale orgy of food and football. Thanksgiving is not the holiday you think it is and will not be the holiday you know now in 100 years, but it can be whatever holiday you need. There is now a desire to make it an international holiday—Who knows? VERDICT This is destined to become the accepted text for research on the history and myth of this most American holiday, and it will be an enjoyable, fascinating read both for students and for anyone looking for a good story.—Suzanne Lay, Perry H.S., GA

Fleming (The Perils of Peace: America's Struggle for Survival After Yorktown) takes a peek at the personal and family lives of six key American figures—George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, John Adams, Alexander Hamilton, Thomas Jefferson, and James Madison—exploring their relationships with girlfriends, wives, children, extended family members, and, in some cases, extramarital lovers and quasi-lovers. Replete with assumptions and wild guesses, this book breaks no new ground in historical scholarship, merely providing general readers with an accessible overview of what has long been known to scholars—that the fallible Founding Fathers depended on the love and emotional support of family and others to achieve their personal and political goals. Jefferson and Sally Hemings garner special attention, with a tiresomely in-depth and opinionated examination of scholarly views and scientific inquiries surrounding this centuries-old controversy. The book's one redeeming chapter—a provocative psychological examination of Dolley and James Madison's marriage—is also the briefest and most underdeveloped. VERDICT Tacky and pointless, Fleming's lowbrow latest may have marginal appeal as recreational reading for undiscerning fans of early American history's most familiar faces. Students and scholars can certainly skip it.—Douglas King, Univ. of South Carolina Lib., Columbia

These translations are among the first scholarship of its kind, a situation owing to the scarcity of authentic autobiographical material composed by Russia's serfs. According to MacKay (Slavic & East European languages & literature, film studies, Yale; Inscription and Modernity), there are only 20 extant serf autobiographies, which makes this compendium a significant contribution to the fields of Russian history (beyond readers fluent in Russian) and to the comparative cultural study of slave narratives. These four narratives differ dramatically in style. The mid-19th-century poem News About Russia, boldly sent by its author to a member of the imperial family, is a long, poignant testimony to peasant drudgery and sorrow whose multiple narrators weave woeful tales of debt, punishment, and arranged marriage. Nikolai Shipov's more conventional autobiography includes intimate accounts of the rituals of a peasant betrothal and wedding ceremony, described by MacKay as the most complete and detailed yet discovered. VERDICT A unique and important historical work, this is recommended for all academic libraries and all who study Russian history.—Dennis J. Seese, Jefferson-Madison Regional Lib., Charlottesville, VA

In a provocative reassessment of the role of Catholicism in the rise of Nazism, Hastings (history, Oakland Univ.) argues that the pre-1923 Nazi Party drew a great deal of support from Catholic intellectuals and priests, as well as rank-and-file Catholics in southern Bavaria. Hastings argues that scholarly focus on post-1933 Nazi ideology, which was distinctly hostile to Catholicism as well as Christianity in general, obscures the fact that prior to 1923 Nazis and certain Catholic intellectuals sought to synthesize their ideologies. The Nazi emphasis on antimaterialism, appeals to spiritual nationalism, and anti-Semitism were in line with right-wing Catholic theology, especially after World War I. Nazi ideology did not emerge in its final form until years after the failed coup of 1923, when the party reinvented itself with anti-Catholic ideology, in part through a closer alliance with Protestantism and, contradictorily, asserting a connection with paganism. VERDICT While the complex theological issues make the book difficult for the general reader, the refocusing of attention on the evolution of Nazi ideology prior to 1923 make it an important addition to the field.—Frederic Krome, Univ. of Cincinnati, Clermont Coll.

Classicist Kagan's Thucydides is not a biography but a blow-by-blow account of the hostilities between Athens and Sparta from about 460 to 405 B.C.E. Kagan compares Thucydides' great History of the Peloponnesian Wars with other surviving evidence to argue that, while Thucydides sometimes interpreted events to justify his own failed role in the war, as the first truly modern political historian, he included enough evidence to allow readers to come to different conclusions. Thucydides blames Athens's eventual defeat on the endemic tendency of democratic states to listen to demagogues. Kagan places responsibility on a series of military blunders committed by semi-amateur generals (like Thucydides himself) as two competing city states sought to weaken each other's spheres of influence through small-scale raids on towns and farmlands on the fringes of the two empires. VERDICT While not for the general reader, thanks to Kagan's command of his subject this excellent book bristles with insight into an era not unlike our own of brutal and momentous small-scale battles far, far from the homes and marketplaces of the central players in the war.—Stewart Desmond, New York

There are only a handful of English-language books that encapsulate the five millennia of Chinese history in one volume. To date, only John King Fairbank and Merle Goldman's China: A New History, Jacques Gernet's A History of Chinese Civilization, and Patricia Buckley Ebrey's Cambridge Illustrated History of China come close to Keay's concise précis of the imperial dynasties, influential characters, and major turning points of Chinese history. Without sacrificing substance for brevity, Keay manages to illustrate China's history very much as a narrative of the rise and fall of strong and feeble emperors, bureaucratic cliques and factionalism, the development of philosophical traditions and religious incarnations, and the constant restructuring of the empire's geographical boundaries. A journalist by trade, Keay is well experienced in scripting historical tomes, with India: A History being most comparable in scale and ambition to this latest work. VERDICT Readers already interested in, or wishing newly to embark upon, Chinese history will adore this book. Highly recommended.—Allan Cho, Univ. of British Columbia Lib., Vancouver

The reign of the Tudors consisted of just five monarchs—Henry VII, Henry VIII, Edward VI, Mary, and Elizabeth I—and lasted for barely over a century, and yet the dynasty is one of the best known in history. Rather than follow the well-trodden path of the many previous biographers of these rulers, Meyer (A World Undone: The Story of the Great War, 1914 to 1918) focuses on the Tudors' reign as a whole, to produce a volume that is somewhat light on personal details but that provides a well-organized narrative of the major events and changes during the time, with attention to what each ruler achieved or failed to achieve. As in A World Undone, Meyer follows each chapter with a "background" section, which allows him to elucidate further various topics such as class structure or the hierarchy of the royal court. VERDICT An excellent resource for general readers; those wanting an expert but more personal look at the monarchs themselves may do better with Antonia Fraser's The Tudors or individual biographies such as J.J. Scarisbrick's Henry VIII or Anne Somerset's Elizabeth I, while Alison Weir's Tudor biographies are good popular history—Kathleen McCallister, Univ. of South Carolina Lib., Columbia

Numerous hagiographies portray the Founding Fathers as selfless, infallible leaders of the colossal struggle between liberty and tyranny, while lesser-known heroes fall between the cracks of time and are lost to history. In this notable reassessment, the critical roles played by Connecticut merchant Silas Deane, French playwright Caron de Beaumarchais (Barber of Seville), and the enigmatic Chevalier d'Eon in the successful outcome of the American Revolution are placed at the forefront. Drawing on a wealth of sources, Paul (Hastings Coll. of Law, Univ. of California) constructs an intriguing and readable account of three "unlikely" but extraordinary characters who in the face of substantial obstacles diligently labored to supply the American revolutionaries with arms at a critical juncture in the war and forged the decisive Franco-American alliance. Through grit, determination, and great personal sacrifice, Deane arduously struggled behind the scenes, emerging as the unsung hero of a tale with a brilliant cast of characters, including the infamous rake John Wilkes and the story's villain, Arthur Lee. VERDICT Paul's fast-paced, engaging narrative fills a gap in the historiography of the American Revolution and is essential reading for students of revolutionary diplomacy as well as general devotees of the age.—Brian Odom, Pelham P.L., Pelham, AL

For those who remember the great English historian C.V. Wedgwood, who wrote so tellingly about the 17th century, reading this work will be like reading Wedgwood once more. Uglow (Nature's Engraver: A Life of Thomas Bewick) displays many of the same virtues, most notably a command of narrative and a use of trenchant detail to humanize a compelling story. Her narrative here, telling the story of the first ten years of the reign (1660–85) of England's Charles II, ranges across politics and diplomacy, court intrigues, fashion, the arts and sciences, and changes in the society and economy to produce a satisfying portrait of a fascinating age. These were critical years for the restoration of the monarchy after the Puritan interregnum, and Charles was a singularly attractive, though enigmatic, ruler. Energetic when he wanted to be and immensely talented, he was also easily distracted and an incurable womanizer. He appeared accessible—indeed, he was criticized for being too open—but he shared his thoughts with no one. Scandal soon roiled his libertine court. In the opposition to him that rose in Parliament one sees the beginning of the English party system. VERDICT An exceptionally interesting story that should please all lovers of history.—David Keymer, Modesto, CA

What are the frameworks through which we govern our country? In separate texts, Rakove and Lipsky provide annotated analysis of our founding U.S. documents. Pulitzer Prize-winning author Rakove (history & political science, Stanford Univ.; Original Meanings: Politics and Ideas in the Making of the Constitution) presents both the Declaration and the Constitution with carefully laid out annotation that's accessible to general readers as well as high school and college students. His extended introduction provides a readable and instructive analysis of how the writing of the Constitution progressed, especially on matters concerning representation, executive power, and creation of the amendments. His annotations often rely upon contemporary usage and meaning from the time of the Declaration of Independence and Constitution—useful for students to understand—and he compares such usage to other documents of the time.

Lipsky (founding editor, New York Sun) provides a lay reader's guide to the Constitution in a readable journalistic style. He refers to standard texts such as M. Farrand's multivolume Records of the Federal Convention of 1787, as well as letters and periodical pieces from the time of the document's development. In many provisions, Lipsky provides historical background, giving a broader social and political context than Rakove, and often cites conflicting opinions regarding the meaning of particular words or phrases. Rakove recognizes that the "precise meaning" of terms at the time of the documents' creation might not be ascertainable, and he offers reasonable interpretations to indicate constitutional implications of such terms through case law or congressional statutes. VERDICT The books are not strictly duplicative. Lipsky connects the Constitution to 21st-century issues, while Rakove, with more accessible annotations relating to key ideas and terms, shows links between the Declaration and Constitution. Both Rakove's and Lipsky's approaches are highly recommended for general readers and undergraduates who want an initial understanding of the Declaration and Constitution.—Steven Puro, St. Louis Univ.

Henry Kissinger is often portrayed as the "Doctor of Diplomacy" who skillfully managed America's foreign policy through the Nixon and Ford years. Del Pero (history, Univ. of Bologna, Italy) offers a differing view that shows Kissinger's détente with the Soviet Union succumbing to neoconservative pressures by the mid-1970s. The author is especially good at describing the emergence of neoconservatism as an alternative to the pro-Soviet New Left. Kissinger, Del Pero claims, believed that a bipolar world, in which the United States and the Soviet Union would be checkmated by the threat of nuclear war, was the best diplomatic framework to ensure an uneasy but lasting peace. The belief of the neocons, led by Sen. Henry Jackson, in American exceptionalism led to increased military spending and a new cold war under President Reagan. Kissinger, the author concludes, misjudged the public appeal of neoconservatism and dismissed its enduring nature. VERDICT This provocative, scholarly investigation will be of interest to foreign policy specialists. It offers a less sympathetic appraisal than Alistair Horne's, Kissinger: 1973, the Crucial Year and Jeremi Suri's Henry Kissinger and the American Century. —Karl Helicher, Upper Merion Twp. Lib., King of Prussia, PA

Eleven leading experts contribute essays here setting the issue of the United States getting out of Iraq into current and historical context. Walzer (emeritus, Inst. for Advanced Study, Princeton; Just and Unjust Wars) and Mills (literature & American studies, Sarah Lawrence Coll.; Winning the Peace: The Marshall Plan and America's Coming of Age as a Superpower), coeditor and editorial board member, respectively, of Dissent magazine, self-described as "a magazine of the left," present essays in two categories: The first section, "Lessons Learned," looks at seven historical examples of occupier withdrawal, both successes and failures. The second group of essays focuses on "Exiting Iraq," examining U.S. involvement there and how withdrawal might be managed. These essays come from a variety of perspectives. VERDICT Owing to the highly readable essay format, this collection will appeal to a broad audience. Excellent at dealing with a complicated topic both historically and in terms of the current situation in Iraq, it will appeal to anyone interested in the fate of our world today.—Krista Bush, Univ. of New Haven, West Haven, CT

As part of Amnesty International's human rights campaign to end world poverty, Kahn (secretary general, Amnesty International) challenges the notion that economic growth must be a higher priority for emerging economies than human rights. She argues that successful efforts to stem global poverty must have human rights as their centerpiece. Kahn writes clearly and concisely, taking time to define what human rights are and why they matter and frequently illustrating her points with moving stories and vivid examples from around the world. She attempts to be impartial in her analysis and is critical not only of institutions like the World Bank but also of Amnesty International's own work in the past. Issues that Kahn finds central to the problem of global poverty include maternal mortality, the growth of slums, and the poor person's lack of voice in civil society. The second half of her book advocates legal empowerment for poor citizens and governmental accountability for human rights issues as solutions for eradicating extreme poverty. VERDICT Well written and easily accessible, this is recommended for all human rights advocates, especially those interested in reducing poverty globally.—April Younglove, Rochester Regional Lib. Council, NY

In this concise and readable account, which follows the rise of Putin in Russian politics to the end of his final term as President, Stuermer (history, Univ. of Erlangen-Nürnberg) writes of Russia cautiously moving into mainstream Europe; in recent years, the EU-Russian relationship has embraced the contradiction between economic partnership and political misgivings. First published in the United Kingdom in 2008, this volume suffers from a lack of timeliness, even with an added postscript. Stuermer does not address the 2009 energy price decreases and the global economic downturn. However, as a recap of Russia's position in the political and economic arena of Western Europe, it is unparalleled. Anna Politkovskaya's Putin's Russia, Lilia Shevtsova's Putin's Russia, and Andrew Jack's Inside Putin's Russia all seem to focus on the cost of Putin discarding democracy, while Stuermer takes the approach that that was necessary and explains how Russia is coping with the hybrid system. VERDICT Recommended for beginning students of contemporary Russian history, casual readers interested in European energy politics, and high school students studying world politics.—Harry Willems, Central Kansas Lib. Syst., Great Bend

Keltner (research director & cofounder, Greater Good Science Ctr., Univ. of California-Berkeley; Born To Be Good) and editors of Greater Good magazine Jason Marsh and Jeremy Adam Smith compile 35 short articles from the publication, beginning with scientific roots, taking up interpersonal relationships, and ending with society and politics. The short, accessible essays—with no references or bibliography—underscore empathy, forgiveness, gratitude, happiness, trust, and apology. Contributors include Jonathan Haidt, Alfie Kohn, Daniel Goleman, Meredith Maran, Steven Pinker, and Desmond Tutu. While encouraging, this collection is not Pollyannaish: experiments reveal the noxious effects of increased power, the ease with which people slip into bully and victim roles, and the difficulty of empathizing with strangers or with masses suffering as opposed to the grief of individuals. Dave Grossman's findings on soldiers' reluctance to kill, training methods used to bypass conscience, and the increase of post-traumatic stress disorder in veterans make a startling, important, optimistic statement about compassion. VERDICT A readable digest of current work in positive psychology for a general audience.—E. James Lieberman, George Washington Univ. Sch. of Medicine, Washington, DC

Widely reported demographic shifts in contemporary America include the increase and diffusion of Latino populations and the relative population decline of Caucasians. Alongside these is a perhaps more subtle corollary, a phenomenon journalist Benjamin calls Whitopia ("white-opia"): disproportionately (generally over 90 percent) white communities that have grown rapidly in recent years, with most of the population growth also white. To learn about such communities, Benjamin here immerses himself in the life, culture, and politics of St. George, UT; Coeur d'Alene, ID; Forsyth County, GA; and Manhattan's Upper East Side Carnegie Hill area. A well-traveled black writer from a multiracial family, Benjamin hardly undertakes this venture incognito. But with his tact, genuine interest in people, and zest for golf, real estate, and socializing, Benjamin ingratiates himself nearly everywhere he goes and gains significant insights from residents, businesspeople and civic leaders. Benjamin's timely journey is surprising and provocative. He critically examines racial and economic segregation, structural racism, hostility to immigration, the rising political power of exurbs, and other sociopolitical realities that bespeak, in his assessment, a growing failure in commitment to the common good—yet he also demonstrates respect for his interviewees and offers his pointed assessments only after a thoughtful, open-minded exploration. VERDICT Written at the lay reader's level and in highly anecdotal narrative fashion, this is for all readers interested in the sociopolitics of America today. It will also be valued by policymakers and social scientists.—Janet Ingraham Dwyer, Worthington Libs., OH